READING 1

The Golden Peanut

The fourth graders at Lewis Elementary School
had just finished studying about peanuts. They learned
that peanuts grow underground and that peanuts have
funny names like “goober” or “groundnut.” They also
learned that George Washington Carver discovered
more than 300 uses for peanuts. They found out that
peanuts are an important crop in Alabama.
“I don’t think there’s anything about peanuts we
haven’t studied,” said Najara with a sigh.
Mrs. Dexter smiled. “We’ll see,” she said. “Tomorrow we are having our own
Fourth-Grade Peanut Day. We will have different contests as part of this special day. The
winning class gets to keep the Golden Peanut statue for the whole year. Mr. Long’s class
has won the last three years.”
“Not this year,” Ella boasted. “We know so much. We could be peanut
professionals. We could get jobs talking about peanuts! We’ll win this year.”
“You bet!” agreed Ted.
“I hope so,” said Mrs. Dexter.
The first event was the peanut facts quiz. All three classes had studied hard, so the
score was very close. Ms. Frank’s class had nine points, and Mrs. Dexter’s and Mr.
Long’s classes were tied with eight points each.
The second event was peanut math. They measured, weighed, and figured. The
principal announced the scores.
“Mrs. Dexter’s class, sixteen. Ms. Frank’s class, fourteen. Mr. Long’s class,
thirteen.”
“It’s close,” said Ella. “I’m worried.”
“Don’t be discouraged,” insisted Najara. “We’ll be fine.”
Next came peanut butter cracker-stacking. Ms. Frank’s class had a disappointment
when their tower fell. They only got four points. But Mr. Long’s class must have
practiced—they stacked fourteen crackers! Mrs. Dexter’s class only stacked eleven, so
they were tied again!
The last event was the peanut race. The teams had to use a straw and blow a
peanut along a path to the finish line.
“Go!” shouted Mr. Long. Najara and Ted carefully blew through their straws at
both ends of the peanut so it would roll straight along the line. Ms. Frank’s team didn’t
blow hard enough, so their peanut was slow. Mr. Long’s team blew too hard, and their
peanut rolled far away across the floor.
“Yea! We win!” cheered Ella.
For lunch, each student made a peanut butter sandwich with jelly, marshmallow
spread, or sliced banana. Ted put everything on his sandwich!
“You’re making a mess!” Ella said.
“I know, but it’s delicious!” answered Ted. The Golden Peanut statue, with its
smile, stood in the middle of the table.

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1. Which Golden Peanut event is 4. After the second event, why
most like a TV game show? was Ella worried?

A Peanut butter sandwich eating A The tall cracker tower she built
B Peanut facts quiz fell.
C Peanut counting
D Peanut math B It was time for the last event in
the contest.

C Her class did not know much

about peanuts.

D She wanted her class to win the

2. In paragraph 4, which word contest.
best describes Ella?

A Angry
B Confident
C Silly
D Relieved 5. In this story, professionals are
most like —

A scientists
B athletes
C experts
3. What does discouraged mean D children
as it is used in the story?

A To have little hope

B To be joyful
C To be angry
D To look scared

2
6. Explain why Mrs. Dexter’s team
won the last event and the other
teams did not win.

Use specific details from the

story to support your answer.

Write your response in the

answer document.

7. According to the story, what had

the fourth-grade students
learned about peanuts?

Use specific details from the

story to support your answer.

Write your response in the

answer document.

3
 READING 2

Tony’s Gift
Tony’s great-grandfather, Papi Luis, lives down the street from Tony and his
family. Tony visits Papi after school each day. Tony and Papi sit on the front porch and
talk. Papi tells stories about his life. He tells Tony how the town looked many years ago.
The shopping mall sits on land where there used to be dairy farms. The sandwich shop
used to be an icehouse.
When Papi was a boy, no one had electric lights or refrigerators. They used
candles and oil lamps to read at night. People bought big blocks of ice. The ice and food
that they needed to keep cold was put in a special box. It was called an icebox.
Papi likes to tell stories about those days. He tells about a runaway horse and how
hard it was to catch. He tells about the day a small circus came to town. Everyone had so
much fun that day. Papi’s brown eyes sparkle with happiness as he remembers moments
from his life.
Tony loves to listen to Papi’s stories. Papi has so many to tell. One day Tony had
an idea. He did not tell anyone. He took a tape recorder to Papi’s house. Tony recorded
Papi’s stories. Later, Tony listened to the tapes and wrote down the stories. He collected a
year’s worth of stories. Tony made copies
of them. He put each set of stories into a
special notebook. Tony gave notebooks to
his parents and grandparents.
When he presented Papi with a
notebook, he told him, “You gave us the
gift of your stories. Now I am giving them
back to you.” Papi was surprised. His
brown eyes sparkled with tears of delight.

4
1. How does the reader know 3. How is the town different at
that Tony’s gift is special? the time of the story from
when Tony’s great-
grandfather was a child?
A Papi’s eyes filled with tears.
B Papi liked the notebook a lot.
C Tony recorded a year of stories. A There was a circus in town when
D Tony wrote out all of the stories. Papi Luis was a child.

B The town was smaller with more

farms when Papi Luis was
young.

C The town has fewer people in it

2. Which of the following at the time of the story.
sentences is the best summary
of the story? D The town has no sandwich shops
or shopping malls at the time of
the story.
A An old man tells stories about
interesting times from the town
in which he grew up.

B An old man decides to save the

stories he remembers from when
he was a young boy. 4. You would most likely find
“Tony’s Gift” in —
C A young boy saves collections of
his great-grandfather’s stories as
a treasure for his family. A a website about old towns
B a world atlas
D A young boy wants to write C an encyclopedia
stories about his hometown to D a collection of short stories
share with all of his family.

5.
 5. Tony recorded Papi’s stories 7. Compare the town in Papi’s
in order to — stories with the town today.

Use details from the story to

A study the changes in the town support your answer.
B write a history report for school
C make a gift for his family Write your response in the
D share them with Papi’s friends answer document.

6. How does Papi feel about the gift

Tony gives him?

Use specific details from the

story to support your answer.

Write your response in the

answer document.

6
 READING 3

The Sun and the Moon

A long time ago, the Sun and the Moon shared a home deep in a cave. Because
they were hidden away, the only light that shone in the sky came from the twinkling stars.
After a while, the Sun and the Moon grew tired of living together in the small
cave. The Sun, whose fiery personality made him impatient and sometimes bossy, said, “I
need to live by myself in this cave. Go find a new home for yourself.”
The Moon, who was gentle and patient, said, “Where can I possibly go?”
“Just go in the sky,” answered the Sun. “There is plenty of room there.”
The Moon felt a bit sad and scared as she left the cave, but she bravely set out to
live in the sky. Being only a thin, silver moon, she shyly hid behind some clouds. Slowly,
little by little, she showed more of her face each day. Before long, her whole bright face
lit the sky. Everyone began talking about how beautiful she was and how much they
enjoyed her soft light.
Hearing this, the jealous Sun became very angry. Running out of the cave, the
Sun jumped into the sky.
When the Moon saw the Sun coming up into the blue sky, she ran away. She kept
looking back at the Sun. After a while, nobody saw the Moon.
Now the Sun had the whole sky to himself. He proudly sent his bright sunlight in
all directions. The Sun warmed the cold Earth and helped the green plants and beautiful
flowers grow. People began to praise the Sun, and he became boastful.
But soon, he became very lonely with no one to talk to. So the Sun decided to
look for the Moon.
The Moon felt it was safe to hide in
the cave. As the Sun came near the cave, the
Moon ran out. She leaped into the sky.
“Oh, Moon,” shouted the Sun.
“Please wait. I’m sorry.”
The Moon did not trust the Sun, for
he had been unkind to her. When the Sun
came into the sky, the Moon hid in the cave.
Even now, the Sun cannot catch up with the Moon. The Moon hides in the cave
when the Sun is up in the sky. She jumps into the sky only after the Sun comes back to
the cave.

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1. If you wanted to know more 3. According to the story,
about why the moon appears the Sun could best be
to change throughout a month, compared to a —
which would be the best
question to ask?
A shy young child
B proud peacock
A How close is the moon to the C busy little bee
Earth? D sweet mouse

B Why are parts of the moon dark

at certain times?

C When was the first time people

traveled to the moon?
4. In paragraph 2, the Sun is
D Why is the moon sometimes described as impatient. Which
visible during the daytime? of the following is a definition
for impatient?

A Peaceful
B Bashful
C Restless
2. If you wanted to understand D Bossy
how the Moon feels at the
beginning of the story, you
should think about —

A how it feels when someone else

is boastful and bossy

B why the sun warms the Earth and

helps the plants grow

C why the shape of the moon

changes each night

D how it feels when someone is

lonely

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5. What clues help the reader 7. Read the sentences from the
know that the Sun is not nice? story in the box below.

Being only a thin, silver moon,

A The Sun sends his shining light in
she shyly hid behind some
all directions.
clouds. Slowly, little by little,
she showed more of her face
B The Sun warms the cold Earth
each day. Before long, her
and helps plants grow.
whole bright face lit the sky.
C The Sun is described as being
boastful. What do these sentences
describe about the moon?
D The Sun jumps into the sky after
the Moon goes in the cave.
A The color of the moon

B The distance of the moon from

the Earth

C The changes of the moon over a

6. Why did the Sun jump into month
the sky?
D The beauty of the moon

A He was jealous of the attention

the Moon was getting.

B He wanted to warm the Earth and

help the plants grow.

C He no longer felt safe hiding

inside the dark cave.

D He was shy and wanted to hide

behind the clouds.

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 8. What does this story try to 10. Describe the Moon and a person
explain? in your life who is like the Moon.

Use details from the story to

A Why there are four different support your descriptions.
seasons of the year
Write your response in the
B Why the sun always shines answer document.
brighter than the moon

C Why the sun warms the Earth and

helps the plants grow

D Why the sun and moon are seen

at different times of the day

9. Contrast the personalities of the

Sun and the Moon.

Use specific details from the

story to support your answer.

Write your response in the

answer document.

10
 READING 4

Birdhouse Gourds
Birds are not always a farmer’s best friends. Some
farmers put up scarecrows to protect their crops from
the hungry birds. They know that as soon as they put
down the seeds, there will be birds there to eat, and as
the crop grows, other birds will be there. Farmers have
to work hard to protect their crops from birds. But
there is a bird that farmers are happy to see arriving
each spring: the beautiful purple martin.

The male purple martin has dark blue and black

feathers, and the female is pale gray. The purple
martin is an insect eater. Some farmers think that the
purple martin eats enough bugs each day to equal the
bird’s weight. Having purple martins in your neighborhood could mean fewer flying
insects at your next picnic, and fewer bugs eating crops.

Long ago purple martins built their nests in hollow trees. But Native Americans
discovered how helpful purple martins could be. They began to hang hollow gourds near
their homes. The purple martins discovered the gourds and built nests in them. Now they
will only build in a man-made or human-grown home. In the southern United States,
many people offer the purple martins nesting places using birdhouse gourds.

Birdhouse gourds are best grown where the summers are long and warm. It takes many
months from the time a seed is planted to the time the gourd house can be hung. The
gourd should be ten inches around to be a roomy home for a family of martins.

Purple martins like to live in large groups, so it is best to suspend several gourds together.
The gourds need to be hung as high as a second story window, and away from trees and
wires. The round opening should be near the top of the gourd so the babies don’t fall out,
and turned away from the wind so the babies stay warm and dry.

If the gourds are hung from a short piece of wire, they will swing gently as the birds enter
and leave the circular doorway. Purple martins don’t mind the swinging. Other birds do,
so they leave the gourds alone.

Watching the purple martins dive and swoop after insects is fun. Their early morning
songs are a beautiful way to wake up. Purple martins depend on humans for safe nesting
places, but they help humans so much in return.

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 1. To learn more about 3. If you were going to make a
birdhouse gourds, you should birdhouse from a gourd, what
use — four steps would you have to
take?

A a thesaurus Use examples from the passage to

B an encyclopedia explain your answer.
C a dictionary
D an atlas Write your response in the
answer document.

2. Write a brief summary of this

passage.

Make sure you include the

important points.

Write your response in the

answer document.

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 READING 5

Homes of the Early Settlers

The voyage across the Atlantic from England to the New World was difficult and
dangerous. Although early settlers from the Old World were probably tired from the
journey, they did not have time to relax when they reached land. They had to build their
own homes. First, a home site had to be cleared of its thick forest. Settlers tried to choose
a site on a hill so that the cellar would not flood during rainstorms. After the cellar was
dug, its walls were made from stones found in the rocky soil. Then the wooden frame was
constructed after logs and boards were cut from the plentiful trees.

The early settlers’ homes were simple, one-room dwellings with a big stone chimney at
one end. There was often a sleeping loft with wooden stairs leading up to it. Interior walls
were made from woven supports of split wood and saplings. A mixture made from wet
clay, sand, and straw was plastered over the woven supports. The outside of the house
was clapboard: long, narrow boards made from oak or pine trees. The finishing touch was
the thatched roof, made from reeds. The roof was steep so snow would slide off instead
of piling up.

Inside, the house was not what people today would consider comfortable. The cold New
England winters sent windy drafts through cracks in the boards. The fireplace, used for
cooking and heating, made the air smoky. Since glass was very expensive, windows were
tiny, making it gloomy inside. There were no windows on the chilly north-facing side of
the house, only on the south side. At night the only light came from the fireplace, or from
candles and lamps that burned animal fat. Furniture was simple and made of hard wood.

Once the house was completed, there was still

little chance to rest. Wood had to be cut, split,
and stacked for heating and cooking. Clothes
had to be sewn. Gardens had to be planted and
tended. Even taking a bath was a chore. Water
had to be hauled in from a spring and heated
over a wood fire! Early settlers struggled to
survive even after their long journey across the
sea was over.

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 1. According to the passage, in 3. Compare and contrast the early
order for the settlers to take a settlers’ house to your house.
bath, —
Give at least two similarities and
two differences.
A water had to be carried from the
spring Write your response in the
answer document.
B leaves needed to be removed
from the well

C the fireplace had to be cleaned

D cracks in the walls needed to be

plugged

2. Summarize what the settlers had

to do when they arrived in the
New World.

Provide specific details from the

passage to support your answer.

Write your response in the

answer document.

14
 READING 6

Westbrook Eagles School Store! Now Open!

Located next to the Computer Lab, opposite the library.

Open every day during lunch period.
Also open break period and from dismissal time until 3:45 P.M.

• Pencils
• Pens
• Notebooks
• Folders
• Gym bags — choose from small and large sizes
• Water bottles
• School pennants
• New!!! Key chains
• Eagle mascot T-shirts — S, M, L, XL
Heather gray with navy blue letters: “Westbrook”
Navy blue with gold letters: “Westbrook Eagles”
Navy blue with Eagle mascot

We must sell our stock of last year’s T-shirts to make room for the large selection of great
new styles and colors! This means BIG savings for you! Come in and check out the
clearance section. Sizes are limited. All profits benefit the classroom supply fund.

• Don’t forget to enter your name in our Lucky Eagle Drawing. You may win a
voucher that can be exchanged for free School Store products.

LUCKY EAGLE DRAWING

Name _____________________________________________ Grade _________

Place entry in the box by the front office.

15
 1. Which of these is an opinion 3. Explain why some of the text is
stated in the selection? larger and darker than the rest
of the selection.

A “Come in and check out the Use details from the selection to
clearance section.” support your response.

B “All profits benefit the classroom Write your response in the

supply fund.” answer document.

C “This means BIG savings for

you!”

D “Don’t forget to enter your name

in our Lucky Eagle Drawing.”

2. Explain what stock means as it is

used in the advertisement.

Use details from the selection to

support your response.

Write your response in the

answer document.

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